Woman sentenced after tax pleas

A 39-year-old Winder woman was sentenced to two years and six months in prison and ordered to pay more than $74,000 in restitution after admitting to filing false federal tax returns.

Lisa Melinda Lyle pleaded guilty in September to six counts of making false claims against the United States by filing false tax returns and four counts of knowingly using other people's names and Social Security numbers to make false claims.

From 1999 until 2001, Lyle electronically filed federal tax returns online in her name and in the names of family and friends, claiming refunds were owed, according to prosecutors.

Some of the taxpayers were aware Lyle had prepared a tax return in their names. However, without their permission, Lyle filed the returns with incorrect information, prosecutors said.

In addition to the jail sentence, Lyle was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $74,419 in restitution to the IRS.